The summer may be long gone but the players of Abbey Saints U13s blue football team will be happy to train in wet weather, thanks to a little help from UK Power Networks.

The summer may be long gone but the players of Abbey Saints U13s blue football team will be happy to train in wet weather, thanks to a little help from UK Power Networks.

The electricity distribution company, which delivers electricity to eight million customers across East Anglia, London and the South East through its vast infrastructure of overhead power lines, underground cables and substations, has given the club a much-needed £250 grant as part of its Team Sport Award programme.

It donated the money following an application from employee Sean Tyrrell, a commercial manager based in Bury St Edmunds, who is the assistant manager of the U13s blue team and treasurer of Abbey Saints Youth Football Club. His son, Benjamin, also plays for the team.

Sean, from Great Barton, said: “The FA changed the structure of youth football a couple of years ago so our team moves to 11-a-side and larger goals at U13 this season. This means that we need a larger squad up to 16 players and sufficient equipment including football kit and raincoats for them.

“So we have bought 16 raincoats for the squad with the money kindly donated by UK Power Networks and going by the weather forecast, I think we’re going to need them!”

This season Abbey Saints Youth Football club, which was set up by a couple of parents five years ago, will have 4 teams (1 x U15, 2 x U13 and 1 x U12) who all play in the Ipswich and Suffolk Youth Football League on Sunday’s. All of the managers and coaches are FA level 1 qualified and along with other criteria means that they are an FA Chartered Standard football club. The U13 and U15 teams are at their new ‘home’ ground at Fornham All Saints just outside of Bury St Edmunds.

The Team Sport Award scheme is designed to encourage staff to volunteer in the community and is aimed at promoting healthy living, teamwork and development of sporting opportunities.

Hundreds of community and sports groups have benefited from grants since the scheme was set up. Last year nearly £10,000 was donated to sporting groups connected to UK Power Networks staff.